


Loud Like Thunder | Prinxiety One-shot

by TiredPanAndNotAFan (orphan_account)



Series: A Series of Events, Dictated By The Written Word [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Roman likes to be dramatic, Thunderstorms, Virgil writes poetry, blink-and-you'll-miss-it implied Logicality, oblivious idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-09 00:21:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20844464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/TiredPanAndNotAFan
Summary: Virgil Sanders has been quietly pining after Roman Sinclair for three whole years. He's written poems and sonnets about it. When he accidentally leaves one of them out when Roman comes over, what will happen?





	Loud Like Thunder | Prinxiety One-shot

**Author's Note:**

> WARNINGS: food mentions, horror movie mentions, thunderstorm, pining fools

Virgil Sanders, quite obviously, had social anxiety. He was as introverted as a human could possibly be, and panicked at near-everything. Except, of course, his three friends, Patton, Logan, and Roman. They were the only ones he could spend time around without getting socially drained, it was like they were miracles made just for him.

While they had been skeptical of him at first, especially Roman, the four had grown really close over the last five years. They went from being forced to sharing a table at a coffee shop to movie nights in onesies, God only knew how, because Virgil certainly didn't. They were his very best friends he had ever had, and he just knew they would be the same forever, however sickeningly mushy it sounded in Virgil's head.

It made his heart flutter, and not in the "people are staring at me" way. Virgil lo-- _cared for_ his friends a lot.

Even Roman.

_Especially Roman._

As much as Virgil cherished their friendship, he had spent three years now silently pining after Roman. He would never admit it, but he had written _actual Shakespearean sonnets_ on the subject, just to twist something he had said to Roman in the first few months of them knowing each other. He knew it sounded like a Roman-Thing to do, but that's why Virgil reveled in it all the more.

Virgil shook his head to clear the fluff from it. Now wasn't the time to go all mushy, he had to see Roman in an hour. He couldn't allow himself to be ditzy when it happened. Roman obviously didn't like him back, how could he? Virgil was nothing but an anxious train-wreck in dark clothing, and he was only ever good for cynical commentary.

That certainly brought Virgil off of Cloud Nine. He shuffled his latest work to the side of his desk; he would stash it away with the others later. Virgil trudged to his closet and pulled on his favorite "Seeing Roman" outfit: a black v-neck t-shirt with a purple spider decal, and a black pair of skinny jeans with rips all up and down the front. He touched up his eyeshadow, then shrugged on his favorite hoodie. He grabbed his keys, spinning them on his finger. If Virgil couldn't date Roman, he would at least keep him company the best way he could, and that was coffee da-- get-togethers and movie nights, all totally platonic. He was fine with just being the angsty emo friend.

\---

Virgil made his way into the coffee shop, the bell at the door jingling cheerfully. A man in what looked like a red-and-white Letterman's jacket waved him over.

"Virgil! Over here! I already ordered your favorite!" Virgil slid into the booth and took the drunk that Roman offered him. He took a sip, and his heart fluttered. Roman had got it exactly right, down to the very last sprinkle of dark-chocolate curls.

"Thanks, Ro. What's our topic today?"

"Our topic is...." Roman tapped out a drum roll on the table. "Why Heather Duke doesn't have her own song!"

"Easy, she has absolutely no discernible personality. All she does is copy Heather Chandler."

"Yes, but _why?_"

The two launched into a discussion that lasted until both their drinks were gone and the sun was starting to set. Somewhere along the line, it got derailed, not that either minded.

"And _that_ is my theory on why Heather McNamara and Karen Smith are actually related," Roman said, spreading his arms and leaning back in his seat. Virgil chuckled, leaning forward.

"Wow, Princey, that is the absolute biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard."

"Hey, it's better than your thing on Heather Chandler!"

"Whatever you wanna tell yourself, Ro." The two got up and threw away their cups, Roman pocketing his metal straw. They made their way out of the coffee shop and got into Virgil's car.

"Sorry we can't go to my place for movie night, Pat and Logan want the place to themselves."

"S' alright, Princey, my TV is better anyway." They fell into a comfortable silence. At least, Virgil assumed it was comfortable, his heart was pounding.

He couldn't belive it, he honestly couldn't. This was the first time any of his friends were going to be in Virgil's apartment, and it was going to be Roman. And his TV was in his room, Roman was going to be in Virgil's _room._ and Roman would see all his stuff, and what if he hated it? What if he hated _Virgil?_ What if--

"Hey, Virge? You're making that face you make when you overthink things, are you gucci?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Viiiiiiirge, talk to me heeeeere," Roman whined, leaning on Virgil.

"Dude, I'm driving!"

"And I'm worried!"

"About what?"

"You, duh!"

Virgil's heart jumped in his throat. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine," he choked, just barely managing to make it sound normal.

"Virgil, I know you're lying, you can tell me what's bothering you. You're my best friend, you can tell me anything!"

_Not everything._  
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I just... I'm hoping you don't hate my place when you see it, y'know?"

"Chill, Vee. I don't think I could hate anything of yours, especially not your home" Virgil hummed in acknowledgement, and the car lapsed back into silence. Roman never moved from his place leaning on Virgil's side.

\---

"Here we are, it's not that great, but it's whatever." Virgil opened the door to his house, holding it open for Roman with a sarcastic bow. "After you, your majesty." Roman snickered and walked in, Virgil close behind, the latter flipping on the lights.

Roman stared in wonder at the apartment. Virgil's living room was the absolute picture of comfort. In one corner, a plush old recliner sat with a quilt laying over the top. In the other was a pile of bean bags and blankets in an array of purples and grays. The walls were hung with soft golden fairy lights and pictures of Virgil with all his friends. On the opposite was was an open doorway that led to a cozy kitchen. The third wall had a closed purple door that was obviously Virgil's room.

Roman gasped and grinned, spinning around to Virgil. "OHMYGOD THIS IS SO CUTE! DID YOU PUT EVERYTHING UP!?" Virgil laughed. Roman loved the way he grinned all lopsided when he really laughed, it was the most adorable thing in the world, not that Virgil would ever get to know it.

"Yeah, my moms helped a lot, too. But I hung all the pictures, so yeah, I guess?"

"Well it's awesome! How soft are these!?" Roman flopped onto the beanbag pile and sighed in contentment. "So soft." Virgil grinned and headed into the kitchen.

"You can just head into my room, that's where the TV is. The remote is the same as yours so you can figure it out, I'll be getting snacks."

"You got it, Wednesday _Sad_dams!"

Roman made his way into Virgils room, and upon finding the remote, prepared _Halloween_ for them to watch. Virgil wasn't back yet, so Roman decided to poke around his room. The walls were painted purple and covered in old emo-band posters. There weren't fairy lights, but the room was being softly illuminated by a purple lamp in the corner. The ceiling was covered in glow-in-the-dark stars that Roman recognized as a gift from Logan three years ago. A purple spider plushie, from Patton, sat on the messy excuse for a bed. And--this made Roman's heart soar--a small side-table, with a picture of Roman, and stacks of programs for all the plays of his that Virgil had seen, along with the plastic purple rose that Roman had given Virgil last year on Girlfriend's day, when they were joke-dating for the laughs. Obviously, the emo nightmare didn't know flower meanings.

Roman tore his eyes from the side table to Virgil's desk. There was a handwritten paragraph shoved haphazardly half-underneath a copy of _The Fault In Our Stars._ Roman snatched it and began to read.

\---

Virgil practically floated to his room with a tray of snacks. He had spent a bit getting the popcorn just right (Roman liked his popcorn with butter, salt, nacho cheese powder, and most disgustingly, sour-cream-'n-onion powder) and had grabbed a mixed-box of Fruit Roll-Ups, Fruit-By-The-Foot, and Gushers. He pushed his door open with his foot, only to see Roman reading--

"Hey, Princey, what didja find?"

"Virgil, I cannot believe this! You can actually write poetry!"

"Give it here, nerd, it's not a big deal," Virgil pleaded, setting the snacks onto the bed and making a grab for the paper, "I was just gonna throw it away." Roman ducked away and held it behind his back.

"What's the fun in that!? WAIT, I have an idea! Lemme just..." Roman jumped onto the bed, Virgil just barely saving the popcorn, when Roman began speaking like he did when he was feeling _extra_ dramatic.

"You are loud, like thunder, a roll that sounds across miles and miles, all-encompassing and true. You can make the ground shake with your majesty and strike fear and passion into the hearts of those around you," he lilted, and Virgil's heart panged. He jumped onto the bed and tried to snatch the sonnet away, to no avail. "Being near you is like when you're caught outside in the middle of a lightning-storm, but you can also be warm and comforting, like on soft nights with rain lashing against the walls outside and hot chocolate and blankets inside.

"You are the sound that lightning makes when it cracks across the sky. Your passion cracks like bright electricity, you shake me to my core." All while he was talking, Roman was dancing away from Virgil on top of the bed (quite a bit easier than it sounds, as it was in the corner.)

"Just, _give it to me,_ Roman! You don't wanna read it!"

"Oh, but I _do!_" Roman cleared his throat, hoping off the bed. "When you speak, I fall more and more in love with you, but just like I cannot cage the thunder, I could never keep you for myself. God, Vee, now THAT'S what I call _angst!_" Virgil's face was flaming red as he chased Roman out of his room, trying to grab the paper away.

"Princey, please, that is _private!_"

"Aww, Virge, I just wanna know what your secret crush is like!"

** _You._ **

"It's none of your damn business!" Roman only responded by continuing to read the poem, flopping dramatically on the recliner.

"You are not mine to behold. If I tried, I fear I would only trap something that is not meant to be imprisoned," Roman slid off the recliner when Virgil tried to jump on top of him, then grabbed a bean bag and threw it at Virgil. "So I will continue to let you stay free and unbothered, even if it tears me apart!" Roman accented this with a fake sob, holding the paper far enough above him that Virgil couldn't grab it.

"Shut up and GIMME IT!"

"YOU SOUND LIKE REMUS!" Virgil fumed, then got an idea. He kicked Roman in the back of the knee and watched in triumph as the taller man fell to the floor with a cry of betrayal, snatching the poem. "I told you to give it to me, Princey!"

At that exact moment, Roman pulled Virgil down on top of him, then rolled over. He pinned Virgil underneath him by straddling his sides and holding Virgil's wrists down above his head. Virgil's face somehow got even more red; this was more... _intimate_ than that had ever been. He pouted and looked directly into Roman's eyes, which were sparkling with triumph.

"Let me read the rest of it."

"No."

"Too bad!" Roman grabbed paper and jumped off of Virgil, who only sat there for a moment before springing up and chasing Roman back into his room. "You are the thunder that envelops me in your regal majesty, and although you can never know, I will love you until my dying days!" Roman leaned dramatically of Virgil's wall. Virgil weakly tried to steal back the poem, he knew it was too late.

"Even if we part ways, I will always remember you, my dearest Ro... man..." Virgil stared at the floor in shame, hugging his sides. There. It was out. Now Roman would hate him and tell Virgil to leave him alone forever and tell Logan and Patton that he was a creep and he wouldn't have any friends like the three of them ever again and-- "Virgil?"

"Y-yeah?"

Roman was silent. Virgil didn't dare look up at the disgust that would so obviously be plastered on the taller man's face, but he didn't want to speak either. Maybe Roman was expecting an apology, and then they could just move on, maybe. Virgil opened his mouth to speak, but was met with a gentle hand on his cheek. Virgil's head snapped up, ready to jump back, but Roman looked... _Happy? Sad? Oh, no, he's crying, **why is he crying?**_

"Y-you okay, there, Ro?"

"Never better," he cried, and wrapped Virgil into a hug. The shorter of the two stiffened, before he heard Roman laughing wetly. "All of that was about _me?_

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I just..."

"I feel the same way." 

Virgil stood stock-still, processing. "WHAT!?"

"Virgil, dearest," Roman pulled away, Virgil melting, "I was so afraid that if I ever told you the depth of my love for you, you would be forced to be small for me. I thought that I would be too much and that I could never keep you, because you are and have always been _free,_ like an untamed beauty in the night. I thought you were an unreachable height, there for me to gaze upon your beauty but never to climb, you were lighting arcing in the sky in a billion untouchable colors, you were-- MMPH!" 

Roman was silenced by Virgil grabbing him and slamming their lips together, eyes squeezed shut and nose scrunched in a way that made Roman's heart fly--or, it would, if he could see it properly from and inch away. Roman closed his eyes and tilted Virgil's chin up, leaning down and turning his head to get a better angle. He rested his hands on Virgil's shoulders, letting his hands wander under his jacket.

After a bit, they broke apart, hearts racing.

"So, you... Feel the same about me?"

"Vee, I just kissed you."

"Good point. Uh, you wanna watch the movie now?" Virgil grinned timidly up at Roman, who laughed, scooping the shorter man up bridal-style and carrying him the short distance to the bed, setting him down with a flourish.

"Of course, my prince, just let me get the snacks! And some blankets!" Roman left the room and came back with the quilt from the recliner and a few weighted blankets from the beanbag pile, wrapping them around Virgil, and then set the snacks down in front of him. 

"Some snacks for my Snacc!"

"Shut up, Roman."

"No!"

The two settled in to watch the horror film, huddling into each other at the jump scares and criticizing the special effects. When the movie was finished, they snuggled together on Virgil's bed. They only noticed that a thunderstorm had been rolling outside when lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating Virgil's room, followed by loud, low thunder that rolled for fifteen whole seconds, they had counted together.

As it turned out, neither of them trapped each other as they had feared, but only set each other free.

**Author's Note:**

> A few things!!  
1: Ro's popcorn is how I like my popcorn (but I just ran out of sour cream and onion powder :'( )  
2: idk why Virgil has so many weighted blankets. They're expensive bro  
3: I like Poetry!Virgil and you can pry him out of my cold dead hands  
4: you can also pry Virgil's Corner Bed out of my cold dead hands  
5: I was gonna have them watch Beetlejuice but a horror movie felt better idk


End file.
